Status and Prospects of the Fast Ignition Inertial Fusion Concept

Key, M.H.

doi:10.2172/900178

Cited by 6 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…• fast ignition (FI) [3]; in this approach the ignition of the DT fuel, initially compressed with a multi-beam laser to the density of ∼1000 densities of the solid DT, is done as a result of its very rapid heating (over ∼10-20ps) by a very intense (intensity I ∼10 20 W/cm 2 ) flux of particles (electrons or ions) [4][5][6] (in this case the situation is analogous to that in a petrol engine where the ignition of the compressed fuel is initiated with a spark from the spark plug);…”

Section: Basic Concepts Of Laser Fusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It would also be highly stimulating for the development of advanced laser fusion concepts described in the next section. [3][4][5][6] is a novel approach to laser fusion which differs from the conventional CHSI fusion in using separate drivers for compression and ignition of the hydrogen fuel. In this approach, the fuel pre-compressed by a long-pulse (ns) driver (laser beams, X-rays) is ignited by a short-pulse (ps) ultra-intense (∼10 20 W/cm 2 ) particle beam.…”

Section: Central Hot Spot Ignition Schemementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the second approach, the X-rays can be produced by a laser, by a heavy ion beam from an accelerator, or by a Z-pinch [2]. As an ignitor, a fast electron, proton, or light ion beams [3][4][5][6] driven by a short-pulse (ps) PW laser can be used though conventionally accelerated heavy ion beams [17] are considered as well.…”

Section: Central Hot Spot Ignition Schemementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The cone provides an open path for the ultra-intense laser beam and allows the beam to be focused inside the cone and to generate fast electrons at its tip, very close to the dense plasma produced by the cone-guided implosion. A variant of the cone scheme uses a thin foil target, placed in the cone in some distance from the cone tip, to generate proton (ion) beam igniting the compressed fuel [4][5][6]. The cone concept makes transport of the ignition laser beam toward the dense fuel core easier, but -on the other hand -it complicates the target structure and disturbs spherical symmetry of implosion.…”

Section: Central Hot Spot Ignition Schemementioning

confidence: 99%

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Laser nuclear fusion: current status, challenges and prospect

Badziak¹

2012

Bulletin of the Polish Academy of Sciences: Technical Sciences

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Abstract. In 2009, in Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA, National Ignition Facility (NIF) -the largest thermonuclear fusion device ever made was launched. Its main part is a multi-beam laser whose energy in nanosecond pulse exceeds 1MJ (10 6 J). Its task is to compress DT fuel to the density over a few thousand times higher than that of solid-state DT and heat it to 100 millions of K degrees. In this case, the process of fuel compression and heating is realized in an indirect way -laser radiation (in UV range) is converted in the so-called hohlraum (1 cm cylinder with a spherical DT pellet inside) into very intense soft X radiation symmetrically illuminating DT pellet. For the first time ever, the fusion device's energetic parameters are sufficient for the achieving the ignition and self-sustained burn of thermonuclear fuel on a scale allowing for the generation of energy far bigger than that delivered to the fuel.The main purpose of the current experimental campaign on NIF is bringing about, within the next two-three years, a controlled thermonuclear 'big bang' in which the fusion energy will exceed the energy delivered by the laser at least ten times. The expected 'big bang' would be the culmination of fifty years of international efforts aiming at demonstrating both physical and technical feasibility of generating, in a controlled way, the energy from nuclear fusion in inertial confined plasma and would pave the way for practical realization of the laser-driven thermonuclear reactor.This paper briefly reviews the basic current concepts of laser fusion and main problems and challenges facing the research community dealing with this field. In particular, the conventional, central hot spot ignition approach to laser fusion is discussed together with the more recent ones -fast ignition, shock ignition and impact ignition fusion. The research projects directed towards building an experimental laser-driven thermonuclear reactor are presented as well.

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Section: Basic Concepts Of Laser Fusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Central Hot Spot Ignition Schemementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Central Hot Spot Ignition Schemementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Central Hot Spot Ignition Schemementioning

confidence: 99%

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Laser nuclear fusion: current status, challenges and prospect

Badziak¹

2012

Bulletin of the Polish Academy of Sciences: Technical Sciences

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“…The generation of energetic ion beams from the interaction of intense lasers with plasma targets is a highly active area of research due to promising experimental results that have great implications for potential applications (Hatchett et al 2000;Key 2007;Ter-Avetisyan et al 2008). Much of the work to-date has been clearly summarised by Daido et al (2012) and Macchi et al (2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Manipulation of laser-generated energetic proton spectra in near critical density plasma

et al. 2014

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We present simulations that demonstrate the production of quasi-monoenergetic proton bunches from the interaction of a CO 2 laser pulse train with a near-critical density hydrogen plasma. The multi-pulse structure of the laser leads to a steepening of the plasma density gradient, which the simulations show is necessary for the formation of narrow-energy spread proton bunches. Laser interactions with a long, front surface, scale-length ( c/ω p ) plasma, with linear density gradient, were observed to generate proton beams with a higher maximum energy, but a much broader spectrum compared to step-like density profiles. In the step-like cases, a peak in the proton energy spectra was formed and seen to scale linearly with the ratio of laser intensity to plasma density.

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Optimizing laser-driven proton acceleration from overdense targets

Novo

Kaluza

Fonseca

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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We demonstrate how to tune the main ion acceleration mechanism in laser-plasma interactions to collisionless shock acceleration, thus achieving control over the final ion beam properties (e. g. maximum energy, divergence, number of accelerated ions). We investigate this technique with three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations and illustrate a possible experimental realisation. The setup consists of an isolated solid density target, which is preheated by a first laser pulse to initiate target expansion, and a second one to trigger acceleration. The timing between the two laser pulses allows to access all ion acceleration regimes, ranging from target normal sheath acceleration, to hole boring and collisionless shock acceleration. We further demonstrate that the most energetic ions are produced by collisionless shock acceleration, if the target density is near-critical, ne ≈ 0.5 ncr. A scaling of the laser power shows that 100 MeV protons may be achieved in the PW range.

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Status and Prospects of the Fast Ignition Inertial Fusion Concept

Cited by 6 publications

References 21 publications

Laser nuclear fusion: current status, challenges and prospect

Laser nuclear fusion: current status, challenges and prospect

Manipulation of laser-generated energetic proton spectra in near critical density plasma

Optimizing laser-driven proton acceleration from overdense targets

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